Green Groweth the Holly

During Medieval times, carols had started to develop a separate style from ordinary Christian hymns though not necessarily performed just at Christmas. King Henry VIII was a Renaissance monarch who was educated in music and several languages.[5] The King wrote "Green Groweth the Holly" as his own take on the developing Christmas carol style. It is not known exactly when King Henry wrote the carol.[6] In addition to writing the words, the King also composed the music.[7]

The King's song, which is in fact a love song and not a Christmas song, survives in a manuscript now in the British Library (Add MS 31922) copied in about 1511-1513, probably not for the King himself, when Henry was in his early twenties (he became king in 1509).[4][6][8] Despite the initial popularity during King Henry's reign, when it had been described as "this little piece by Henry VIII that is one of the half dozen that mark him as the first lyricist of his age",[9] the carol afterwards fell into disfavour and the British Library described it as a "failed classic".[3] The King may have written it as an adaption of the English folk carol "The Holly and the Ivy", but it has been argued that "Green Groweth the Holly" preceded that more famous carol.[10][11]

"Green Groweth the Holly" has also been circulated as a love poem. The original poem has no references to God or Christmas in it. The evergreen character of the holly during the winter's weather is instead offered as an image for the faithfulness of the male lover to his beloved through all adversities.[5][1]